Partners help Hela health authority reach out

The Hela health authority (HPHA) returned to doing outreach patrols in the province with the support of the Defence Force medical team, Unicef and the Oil Search Foundation (OSF).
Four teams were deployed to Aluni, Agali, Paga and Wanikipa, in the Koroba-Kopiago district, to do immunisation and provide basic health services.
Churches and health authority partners ran most of services in those remote areas.
Communities benefitted from mass vaccinations, basic healthcare checks, an antenatal clinic for pregnant women, family planning and received health awareness information including the importance of hygiene.
Dr James Kintwa, health authority chief executive, said the help of partners made a lot of difference.
“The HPHA embraces and acknowledges partnerships as key to improving health outcomes in Hela. Support from our partners enabled us to reach communities which would otherwise be challenging
logistically speaking,” Dr Kintwa said.
The Hela health authority led the planning and implementation, OSF provided logistical and technical assistance, Unicef provided technical support for vaccines and the cold chain while the Defence Force medics provided extra hands and assured security with their presence.
In light of the recent polio outbreak in Lae in Morobe, vaccinations throughout the provinces are now a priority.